Max du Preez

South Africa

Max du Preez, one of South Africa 's foremost investigative journalists, was born in 1951 in Kroonstad and began working as a parliamentary reporter and correspondent for the Nasionale Pers group in 1974. Du Preez spent two years freelancing in Northern Ireland and East Berlin and then worked as a political correspondent for the Financial Mail and Sunday Times until 1987. In the same year he was part of the delegation which held talks with the then banned African National Congress in Dakar , Senegal . On his return du Preez founded Vrye Weekblad, the country's only anti-apartheid Afrikaans newspaper, which ran until 1994. The ground-breaking newspaper, which among other investigations exposed the Apartheid death squads, faced constant harassment and expensive law suits, forcing its eventually closure.

With the advent of democracy, du Preez joined the SABC as a television anchor and documentary producer, presenting and producing the landmark Special Report on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The weekly programme reported on the proceedings of the TRC hearings from 1996 to 1998 and altogether eighty-seven episodes were aired. Du Preez then launched the investigative documentary series Special Assignment. Eventually fired from the show, his tenure was widely admired for its journalistic bravery.

After decades of journalism, du Preez's passion has shifted to uncovering stories about South Africa 's past. His documentary film on King Moshoeshoe aired on South African television in 2004. He has published four books including Louis Luyt – Unauthorised; Pale Native – Memories of a Renegade Reporter , which was short listed for the 2004 Nielsen BookData Booksellers' Choice Award and was a runner-up for The Sunday Times Alan Paton Award; Of Lovers, Warriors and Prophets; and Oranje Blanje Blues .

Among his awards are the Outstanding Young South African Award by the Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Pringle Award by the South African Society of Journalists, the Louis M Lyons Award by the Nieman Fellows at Harvard University , and an honorary degree by the University of Cape Town .

Du Preez is presently a freelancer writer and a columnist for the Independent Newspapers Group.

“What makes this important book truly delightful is Du Preez's brilliant character observations and his complete refusal to pull punches and be PC…This is perhaps one of the best written and engaging autobiographical accounts of South African journalism in the apartheid and post-apartheid era.” Anthony Egan on Pale Native in the Mail & Guardian.

Bibliography

Oranje Blanje Blues, Zebra Press, 2005

Of Lovers, Warriors and Prophets, Zebra Press, 2004

Pale Native – Memories of a Renagade Reporter, Zebra Press, 2003

Louis Luyt – Unauthorized, Zebra Press, 2000